Specialist - Purchase

aku; Pakistan; On-site; PKR 1,200,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Aga Khan University in Karachi is seeking a Specialist, Purchase to join our procurement team. You will manage end-to-end procurement, vendor onboarding, and contract life-cycle management to support healthcare and research activities.

The ideal candidate holds a Master’s degree in business administration, 3–5 years in Purchasing/Contracts, and strong negotiation, leadership, and MS Office skills. Healthcare experience is preferred; you will engage diverse internal stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in business administration or equivalent.
• Experience: 3-5 years in Purchasing and Contracts Management.
• Healthcare/Hospital/Research experience preferred.
• End-to-end procurement knowledge: bidding, contract management, supplier performance, life cycle costing.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and regulatory/compliance awareness.

Responsibilities

• Conduct orientation sessions on institutional and functional policies.
• Ensure procurement activities align with objectives, standards, and donor regulations.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in procurement processes.
• Build and maintain relationships with internal stakeholders, vendors, and external partners.
• Onboard new vendors to meet institutional requirements.
• Ensure compliance with donor-procured procedures and JCIA/CAP standards.
• Negotiate strategic agreements and group terms.
• Record, monitor, and track contracts; manage team performance.

Skills

Negotiation

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

Presentation skills

Research skills

Contract management

MS Office

Education

Master’s degree in business administration or equivalent

Tools

MS Excel

Job description

Specialist, Purchase

Karachi, Pakistan.

Introduction

Aga Khan University chartered in 1983 as Pakistan's first private international university, is committed to the provision of education, research, and health care of international standards relevant to Pakistan and the region. The affiliated Aga Khan University Hospital provides state-of-the-art clinical facilities and well-equipped diagnostic services. The University currently has teaching sites in Pakistan, East Africa, the United Kingdom, and Afghanistan, and is a major component of Aga Khan Development Network.

As an equal opportunity employer, AKU believes in promoting a diverse and inclusive culture and is committed to adopt appropriate standards for safeguarding and promoting a respectful relationship with and between diverse workforce of its faculty, staff, trainees, volunteers, beneficiaries, wider communities, and other stakeholders with whom it works, including children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees/trainees and partners to share this commitment.

This is a grant funded contractual position.

Responsibilities:

You will be responsible to:

• conducting orientation sessions on relevant institutional and functional policies
• developing a clear understanding of the institution’s vision, mission, strategic direction, and emerging priorities
• ensuring procurement activities remain aligned with organizational objectives, industry standards, and applicable regulations
• identifying opportunities for continuous improvement in procurement processes and practices
• building and maintaining effective relationships with internal stakeholders, vendors, and external partners
• identifying, evaluating, and onboarding new vendors to meet institutional requirements
• ensuring compliance with procurement procedures prescribed by donor agencies
• negotiating AKDN-wide strategic agreements, preferred terms, and group discounts
• maintaining awareness of applicable local and international laws and regulations
• understanding procurement requirements associated with accreditation bodies, including JCIA and CAP
• developing and maintaining a system for recording, monitoring, and tracking contracts
• coaching and developing team members to strengthen operational support and overall performance.

Requirements:

You should have:

• Master’s degree in business administration or equivalent.
• additional degree/ certifications in Law/ Contract Management will be considered as an added advantage
• 3 - 5 years of relevant experience in the field of Purchasing and Contracts Management
• experience of working in Healthcare/ Hospital / Research organization will be preferred
• excellent knowledge of end-to-end supply management processes including competitive bidding, contract management, supplier performance management, and life cycle costing processes
• assess, evaluate, analyze, and interpret contract or agreement terms and conditions and recommend alternative language, solutions and/or assist in resolving any supplier risk compliance, or performance issues, as necessary
• strong research skills and an in-depth understanding of financial analytics and legal agreements
• exceptional negotiation, persuasion and judgment skills
• excellent written and verbal communication skills
• in-depth knowledge of the company’s core industry, policies, procedures and objectives
• leadership and management skills
• strong presentation skills
• strong interpersonal, presentation, communication, conflict resolution and stakeholder relationship management skills to engage others, build consensus and resolve issues
• able to manage a high volume of work in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities and deadlines
• proficient computer skills with advanced skills in MS Office applications including Excel
• excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively and collaboratively with the senior Management

Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted.